The contemporary car market's focus on SUVs makes sense for Indian road conditions. But that's not why you clicked on this article. The Hyundai i20 N Line is not only an accessible sporty hatchback with a starting ex-showroom price of Rs 9.14 lakh, but also the only one in its price segment—an exciting machine that won't burn a hole in your pocket.
Here are the reasons to buy or avoid the i20 N Line hatchback, starting with the pros.
Performance Packed
The N Line tag is justified by its 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that generates 120hp and 172 Nm of torque from its three cylinders. The i20 N Line comes with a either 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) gearbox. While both options provide swift shifts for a sporty experience, the manual clocks a faster 0-100kph time of 10.66 seconds, whereas the DCT clocks 11.31 seconds. Moreover, the manual is 15kgs lighter as well, which doesn't affect the performance much, but if you're serious about a quicker launch and engaging driving experience, it's worth considering.
Engaging Ride and Agile Handling
The i20 N Line is a properly fun-to-drive and sporty hatchback. The retuned steering from the normal i20 feels more responsive at higher speeds. The stiffer suspension (more on this later in the article) makes you feel more connected to the road with less body roll, and more engaging through tighter corners. The i20 N Line comes with disc brakes on all four corners (with red calipers in the front), giving you more confidence to drive in cities as well as while avoiding ignorant lane switchers on highways.
Features and practicality
On the practical side, it comes with plenty of cubby spaces, sizeable door pockets, and a 311-litre boot. The rear seat space is ample, accommodating six-footers with ease. You can’t go wrong with the top-spec N8 variant which is very generously equipped with features like six airbags, voice-enabled smart electric sunroof, 10.25-inch HD touchscreen with navigation, digital cluster with TFT multi-information display, Bose premium seven-speaker system, wireless phone charger, and LED headlamps with signature DRLs, automatic headlamps.
Plus, the red ambient lighting, home-to-car with Alexa, dashcam, and puddle lamps with a welcome function make it a perfect package.
Now, lets take a look at why you'd rather not buy the Hyundai i20 N Line.
Stiff Suspension
The suspension setup that will win you over at high speeds is also a drawback of the i20 N Line. It feels stiff for Indian roads, as most potholes can be felt by the passengers. This stiffness creates a lot of vertical movements on bad roads (usual for most cities in the country), which can easily fatigue passengers on longer drives.
Springy Clutch
The DCT variants of the i20 N Line come with paddle shifters, but the clutch pedal for the manuals will take you some time to get used to. Our review of this sporty hatch found that the clutch pedal has a springy feel, and the release point of the pedal is higher than expected.
